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Mobile Dental Program

Objective

The Mobile Dental Program provides free or low-cost urgent dental care services to patients who lack dental insurance or any realistic way to pay for dental treatment.

There are two primary obstacles to receiving dental care in the US: cost and accessible location.

Our Approach

Medical Teams International’s Mobile Dental program has been able to dramatically reduce ER expenses for uninsured patients with dental disease, providing effective treatment at an average $100 - $125 per patient.

Our fully-equipped vans are staffed by licensed dentists, hygienists and dental assistants who generously volunteer their time, and we work with over 300 community partners to arrange urgent care dental services.

Suffering & Expense

Right outside of our doors, families are battling the intense pain, complications, and socio-economic challenges that come with severe dental problems.

As untreated dental issues progress, many uninsured people with dental crises turn to emergency rooms for pain relief. ERs are not properly equipped to treat dental problems and is also costly for both patients and hospitals - approximately $765 per ER visit.

Accessibility

There is a shortage of dental providers in the Pacific NW, and the number of providers continues to decline.

While in theory all Oregon children are covered, there are many reasons why they may have trouble accessing it- poor transportation, parent unable to take time off work, etc.

Did you know?

Up to 30% of uninsured emergency room visits could have been better treated in a dental office.

Preventative Care

We also provide preventative care. For example, MTI has provided thousands of children with an easy-to-read brochure and a kid-friendly kit of basic dental supplies as well as classroom instruction from MTI staff and volunteers.

The success of the program is due to the voluntary work of dedicated dental professionals, partnering local churches, and gifts from donors like you.

Every gift makes a difference:

$125 can provide life-changing dental services one person here in the Pacific Northwest who can't afford or access care

$1250 pays for one mobile dental clinic

Recent Blog Posts about our Mobile Dental Program

Mobile Dental Success Story: Terry

by
Katie Carroll
| Feb 21, 2014

We are excited to share with you how your gifts are providing urgent dental care to a hardworking community member in urgent need.

This week, our Mobile Dental Van partnered with Outside In – an organization established to help homeless youth and other marginalized people move toward improved health and self-sufficiency. The second patient of the day was 48-year-old Terry. While Terry is blessed with employment he, like many, has lived much of his adult life without medical and dental insurance. Terry was a clear reminder of how difficult it is to get help without insurance. In fact, Terry hadn't visited a dentist in over 20 years, creating significant problems with his oral health. Terry came to the Clinic seeking respite from an incredibly painful, oozing abscess along his molars. With open arms, our volunteer dentist treated Terry for the first time in over two decades!